Warning-light receptacle



Ap 1931- w. c. TREGONING WARNING LIGHT RECEPTACLE Filed Nov. 14, 1929 Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM C. TREGONING, F .HAUWATOSA, XVISCONSTN, ASSIGNOR TO CUTLER-HAMMER, INCL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIII, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE WARNING-LIGHT BECEPTACLE Application filed November 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,300.

This invention relates to improvements in warning light receptacles.

An object of the invention is to generally improve the construction and facilitate assembly of the parts of devices of the aforementioned character.

Another and more specific object is to minimize the number of parts and the amount of material required to produce a lamp receptacle of the type referred to.. 4

Another object is to provide a novel form of bracket for supporting the lamp receptacle within an outlet box. 7

' Another object is-to provide novel forms .I of one-piece combined contact and terminal members which are respectively adapted for cooperation with the center and screw shell contacts of a lamp.

Another object is to provide means to facilitate insertion of the lamp bulb for support of the latter in longitudinal alinement with the bracket. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

the lamp bulb being shown in position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. y Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, a top plan and front and rear end views of the molded'insulating base of the device Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 88 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the one-piece combined contact and terminal member adapted for cooperation withthe screw shell contact of a lamp,-the binding screw being shown in assembled relation therewith.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the element shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the one-piece combined contact and terminal member adapted for cooperation with the center contact of a lamp.

' Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the element shown in Fig; 11, and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 1313' of Fig. 1.

Referring tot-he drawings, the numeral designates in general the relatively short and relatively shallow molded insulating base of the device; said base being provided along the bottom and at the rear end thereof with alined and centrally arranged substantially rectangular grooves or channels 21 and 22, which are respectively adapted to receive the horizontal and vertical portions 23 and 2a of a supporting bracket. The base is provided with a cut away portion or notch 25 at the meeting ends of said grooves to accommodate the slight radius 26 in the bend of the bracket.

The horizontal portion 23 of thebracket extends forwardly a considerable distance beyond the insulating base 20, and the bracket then gradually curves upwardly as indicated at 27 and terminates in a perforated horizontal lug 28 which is adapted for attachment to the usual cooperating lug of an outlet box, not shown, as by means of a screw 28 (Fig. 2). The verticalportion 24 of the bracket likewise terminates in a perforated horizontal supporting lug 29. Struck inwardly at right angles to the upwardly extending portions 24' and 27 of the bracket are a pair of lugs 30 and 31, respectively; said lugs being perforated and tapped as shown for cooperation with the securing screws of a flush or wall plate of usual form having a suitable jewel attached thereto. The bracket as shown is provided with auxiliary" alining or plaster engaging lugs or enlargements 28 and 29, but it is to be understood that these lugs may be omitted if desired.

The supportingbracket is provided with a perforation 32 (Fig. 2) which registers with a passage 33 in the base, said passage opening into a countersink or recess 34 which accommodates the head of an eyelet 35 the lower end of which is upset over the bracket as shown at 86 to rigidly secure the base to the bracket.

Forwardly of the recess 3-il is a horizon tally disposed substantially semi-cylindrical recess 37 which is adapted to provide clearance for the cylindrical or screw shell contact portion 38 of an electric lamp bulb 39,the center contact of the lamp being shown at -10. The forward portion of the recess 37 is inclined downwardly, shown at 37, to accommodate the aring walls of the lamp bulb 39.

To facilitate molding of the base and to minimize the amount of material required to produce the same, the forward end thereof is provided with the concave surfaces 41 and 452 which meet with the res iectiie fiatupper surfaces 43 and 44.- located in a common plane on opposite sides of recess 37.

Extending crosswise at a predetermined angle with respect to recess 37 and countersunk or offset (as best illustrated in Fig. 7) with respect to the semi-cylindrical wall of the latter a recess 45 which is shaped to receive with a fairly accurate fit the substantially ring-shaped portion 46 of a one- )iece combined contact and terminal memher, the terminal. portion 47 of which is adapted to seat within a correspondingly shaped recess 48 in the upper surface 43 of the base.

Terminal portion 7 is provided with a perforation which registers with a passage 49 in the base. A rivet 50 is adapted to extend upwardly through the passage 49 and the perforation in said terminal portion and is IlXOtB/(l over the latter, as best illustrated at 51 in Fig. 13; the head of said rivet being preferably located in a deeply countersunk recess 52 in the base.

Terminal portion 47 is also provided with a tapped opening 53 to accommodate the usual binding screw 54,base 20 being recessed as indicated at 55 to provide clearance for the shank of said screw. The forward end of portion 47 is bent upwardly as indicated at 56 to provide a guard f or the wire end (not shown).

As best illustrated in Figs. 1, 9 and 10 the ring-shaped portion 46 is bent downwardly into a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of terminal portion l7 and extends laterally from the latter at an angle corresponding to the angle of recess 45,the metal'blank being notched in the manner indicated at 57 and 58 Figs. 9 and 10) to facilitate the bending operation, The inner edge 59 of portion 46 is provided with a substantially rectangularnotch 60 and the area 61 radial to said notch is bent at an angle (as best shown in Fig. 10) to distort said inner edge 59 into the form of a spiral. having a pitch corresponding to the pitch of the thread on lamp contact 38.

The center contact 62 of the socket is integral with and extends downwardly and then laterally from the terminal plate 63 which fits within the correspondingly shaped recess G-l in the upper surface 44 of the base. Terminal plate 68 is provided with a perforation which registers with a passage 65- in the base,a rivet extending upwardly through said passage and perforation and having its end upset as shown at 66 to rigidly secure the terminal to the base. Terminal 63 is provided with a tapped opening 67 to receive the binding screw (38, and one end of the terminal is preferably bent upwardly as shown at ()9 to provide a guard for the terminal wire. Base 20 is recessed as indicated at 70 to accommodate the shank of screw 68.

Base 20 is recessed as shown at 71, 72 to accommodate the contact 62, the latter being initially positioned with a slight clearance between the same and the vertical walls of said recess, whereby a slightly yielding engagement between the same and the center contact etO of the lamp is insured.

The manner of inserting or ren'ioving a lamp bulb from the socket is apparent, it being noted that the supporting bracket 23 is formed to provide sufficient clearance for the lamp bulb during such operations, while at the same time providing for longitudinal alinementof the bulb with respect to the bracket.

The terminal portions of the socket are rigidly secured to the base, which is in turn rigidly secured to the bracket, and the socket contacts are themselves formed of relatively heavy stock whereby excellent electrical contact between the same and the bulb contacts is provided. for.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a warning light receptacle, the combination with a. molded insulating base having a channel formed in the bottom and end surfaces thereof, a sheet metal supporting bracket having horizontally and vertically extending portions adapted to fit within said channel, said horizontal portion having aforwardly and upwardly curved portion to provide clearance for insertion or removal of a lamp bulb disposed horizontally with respect to said base, and a pair of one-piece combined contact and terminal n'lembers secured to said base and adapted for cooperation with the screw shell and center contactsof a lamp bulb.

2. In a warning light receptacle, the combination .with a relatively shallow -molded insulating base having a substantially semicyiindrieal recess in the uppersurface there ion of, of a pair of one-piece combined contact and terminal members the terminal portions of which are rigidly secured to the upper surface of said base on opposite sides respectively of said recess, the cont-act portion of one of said members being located at the rear end of said recess and adapted for engagement by the center contact of a lamp bulb, the contact portion of the other mem' her being of substantially ring-shape and positioned crosswise within said recess at a predetermined angle with respect thereto, said ring-shaped contact portion being adapted for threaded engagement by the screw shell contact of a lamp bulb, and said recess having a shouldered portion against which said ring-shaped contact portion is adapted to abut.

3. In a warning light receptacle, the com bination with a relatively shallow molded insulating base having a substantially semicylindrical recess in the upper surface thereof, of a pair of one-piece combined contact and terminal members the terminal portions of which are rigidly secured to the upper surface of said base on opposite sides respectively of said recess, the contact portion of one of said members being located at the rear end of said recess and adapted for engagement by the center contact of a lamp bulb, the contact portion of the other memher being of substantially ring-shape and positioned crosswise within said recess at a predetermined angle with respect thereto,

said ring-shaped contact portion being.

adapted for threaded engagement by the screw shell contact of a lamp bulb, said recess having a shouldered portion against which said ring-shaped contact portion is adapted to abut, and a supporting bracket to which said base is rigidly secured, said bracket having a portion extending forwardly a substantial distance beyond said base to provide for insertion or removal of 1 a lamp bulb in a plane parallel to the surface of said base.

4. In a warning light receptacle, the combination with a molded insulating base having a centrally arranged semi-cylindrical recess in the upper surface thereof, said recess having a diagonal groove in the wall thereof, of a one-piece combined contact and.

recess in the upper surface thereof, said recess having a diagonal groove in the wall thereof, of a one-piece combined contact and terminal member the terminal portion of which is ri idly secured to the upper F surface of said ase adjacent to said recess, the contact portion of said member being bent downwardly and extending laterally at an angle to fit within said groove, said contact portion being of substantially ringshape and having its inner edge notched and deformed to provide a thread of predetermined pitch, said thread being adapted for cooperation with the screw shell contact of a lamp bulb, and another one-piece combined contact and terminal member the terminal portion of which is rigidly secured to the upper surface of said base and the contact portion of which is bent downwardly therefrom and disposed in a vertical plane at the rear end of said recess, said last mentioned contact portion being adapted for cooperation with the center contact of a lamp bulb.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM C. TREGONING.

terminal member the terminal portion of which is rigidly secured to the upper surface of said base adjacent to said recess,

the contact portion of said Vmember being bent downwardly and extending laterally at an angle to fit within said groove, said contact portion being of substantially ringshape and having its inner edge notched and deformed to provide a thread of predetermined pitch.

5. In a warning light receptacle, the combination with a molded insulating base having a centrally arranged semi-cylindrical 

